West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-06-02
THEATRE BURNED.
NINETEEN KNOWN TO HAVE
persisted,
And Many Others Believed to DO
Buried I'm the Ruins-Actors
Escape i'm Stage Attirc--EX-
citing Scenes and Incl
dents.

dents.
The Opera Comique, at Paris took Gro and
the whole building was soon wrapped i'm
flames. Nineteen persons who jumped from
windows are dead and forty-three injured
The fire broke out during the first act OF
the opera "Mignon." One OF the wings
caught fire from the gas-jet, and the entire
stage was Immediately enveloped in flames
The fire soon spread TO tho whole house
Nine. Mcrgyillier and Nine. Tasquin and
Bernard were on the stage when the fire broke
out All the actors ran out in stage cos
TUNES. The audience got out easily, but the
gas was turned Off before all had left the build
ing and 1t is feared some were left in tho
upper tiers The roof soon fell in, sending
showers of sparks as far as the Place dc la
Bourse With tho exception Of Madame
SELLER, who persisted, all tho actors escaped,
though several supernumeralies we're injured
severely.
Five bodies, terribly burnt, were conveyed
70 the National Library. Among them was
the body of a widow clasping little boy in
her arms. Tho money receipts were saved
and deposited in the GduioiS office. The fire
men showed the greatest courage NM. Cob
let, Thbaudin and Gragnon were on the spot
soon after the fire started and remained
throughout with the fire officials. A mill
tary club rendered great assistance in the
work Of rescuing people from the building
Nineteen persons are known 20 be dead
Macy Of these were supers. The artificial
Gro apparatus which had been placed in po-
sition in readiness for the burning of the pal
ace in the second act rolled down from its
place near the roof and exploded below Wo-
men half clad carrying costumes, fed from
the building Supcrs and members Of the
chorus were terrified and some of the later
fed with nothing on but tights. The flames
spred with such rapidity that in fifteen min
utes thostage was n vast furnace. Several
motors escaped by climbing TO the roof on
tho side of the Ruo Marivanta, where they
were rescued by horoscopes
NJ. Tasquin impored the audience to re-
main seated until tho exits were opened,
which they did. IF they had made rush
for the doors the loss of life would have been
terrible. The police outside were unable TO
restrain tho crowd who besiegcd the building
inquiring for friends inside until a military
Gordon was formed One man who wanted
to rescue his br ther and sister rayed, tore
his hair and menaccd with "A stick peo-
pie who stopped him from rushing into the
blazing building. The scene outside was one
OF the widest excitement. Falling cmbers
struck horses in tho surrounding streets
causing them to plunge and rear The flames
shot out Of every window, forcing the crowd
into narrow streets, where the crush was ter
rife. Fgurante says there were $50 persons
on the stage when tho fire broke out. She
ola 10 haf
other girls not TO mind it, Whilo she wns
speaking a column OF flame burst through
the wings with n roar and oil rushed peI
nell from the stage Many policemen we're
injured.
The scenes. about the ruins OF tho Opera
Comique arc distressing in thu extreme Peo-
pie are thronging the streets, inquiring about
their friends. All day long the fireman have
been taking bodies out of the building, but
towards evening the search had to be aband-
oned, owing to the falling walls rendering it
unsafe TO continue the work Eighteen bed.
les Of ladies in full eve ming dress were found
Mt the bottom Of tho staircase leading from
the second story. They were badly mutilated,
Saving fallenina confused mass in their head
long flight down the stairs.
Anus far 1856 persons have made inquiries
10 the hospitals and police stations for miss
mg relatives believed 20 have persisted in the
opera Comique. The excavated portions
beneath the opera house are filed with water
70 the depth Of five feet and the fremen en-
gagged in searching for bodies have discovered
hoating about more than sixty corpses
The work Of searching for bodies was re-
summed at night and number more were
exhumed. 1t is now believed that the num-
Der will reach 200. The official report says
shat so bodies have nlready been recovered.
When the fire occurred, among the audi-
ehce was an artist named Philippe, who per-
formed proligies OF valor in saving life. Tie
mcn"tei o. ladder tura. Times and sa.ed three
danScuses after they had been abandoned by
the fremen
Mr Charles a. Duvivier. New York
rnercnnnt' who, with his son, was in the
Opera House when the fire broke ont sovs
that at tho first sign OF danger he and his
son arose to leave the theatre VI Taskin.
the tenor, was trying TO assure the audience
That there was no danger, but the burning
stage belied bis words and nothing could sfon
tho Wild panic that set IN Immediately. He
thinks that everybody in the main oudifo-
rum escaped though many must have been
fearfully bruised in the rush. He is roxitivs
that many Of the people in the galleries were
suffOcatod
Mr. W. J. Avres, another New Yorker
with his wife and daughter and Mr. Rufter
who occupied a box at the Opera. savs that
two minutes of valuable time was wasted bv
those inth audience who heeIeI VI Taslip's
advice n retain their seats A panic was in.
0vitablo in any event. but the knovIeive u a
last approaching fire in their roar made the
frightened people crush and push The harder
The party reached the open air after ter
rble experience fra the panics'rickeo crowd
and after many narrow escapes from being
tranpled on. Mr Ayres hmk71ho fre must
have been burning for some time unnoticeJ
as from where bis party sat the flames wero
visible eorno minute before tho alarm ,qas
communicated tho audience Boy tho acci
dental discovery ~ ono NJ the singers
NJ TaskIu saws chat when he first saw enc
hre he thought % was nothing but what could
be extinuished by The employee. and wish
ing 10 avert panic ha told tho audience m
keep their ee1fs Tn reoapinz from Tho burn.
i12 building ho saw many apparently Hfelee.
oodies fri The galleries